Regional construction company campus showcasing tilt-up construction and modern facilities.
St. Louis, Missouri, August 29, 2025
Ralph Korte, founder of a prominent Midwestern construction company and an early proponent of the design‑build method, has died. He built the firm from residential beginnings into a multi‑hundred‑million‑dollar regional contractor known for early technology adoption, BIM, tilt‑up construction and LEED projects. The company reports roughly $552–$553.3 million in revenue, about 250 employees and more than 4,000 completed projects. Korte led the business from its founding in 1958 until retirement, later transferring ownership to family and stakeholders. His philanthropy and local investments include a namesake recreation complex and community programs.
Ralph Korte, the founder of a long-running Midwest construction firm known for promoting integrated design and construction, has died. Reports list his age at death as 91 in multiple accounts, though one source described him as 90 with a 1934 birth year, creating a noted discrepancy.
The firm he started is now a multi‑hundred‑million‑dollar company with more than 4,000 completed projects across the country. Revenue for the most recent year was reported in the low $550 million range, with separate tallies shown as $552 million and $553.3 million. The company employs roughly 250 people and ranks among the larger national contractors.
Korte led the firm as chief executive from its founding in 1958 until 2001. After stepping down as CEO, he served as chairman emeritus until his death. He formally retired in 2008 and transitioned ownership to family members and other stakeholders. A son now serves as executive chairman of the company.
Korte grew up on a family farm in a small Illinois town near a major river city in the region. He was one of 14 children. In his teens he helped neighbors with farm projects and enlisted in the U.S. Army at 18, where he completed a high school equivalency before serving in Korea. After military service he bought an electric saw to start a small construction business; accounts differ on the purchase price, listing either $79 or $179 as the original startup tool investment. The company began with residential work and moved into commercial construction in the early 1960s.
The firm became known for combining design and construction under one roof and for early use of technology. The company introduced an internal design‑build division in the late 1970s and embraced early computer use for estimating, scheduling and planning. It was also among the first in the field to adopt Building Information Modeling (BIM) and to use tilt-up construction—a method that lifts large concrete wall panels into position with a crane and braces them until permanently tied into the structure. The company also has delivered projects certified under green building standards.
The firm offers architectural design, construction management, general contracting, historic building restoration, interior design and surveying. Its portfolio includes hospitals, factories, distribution centers and schools. Since 1958 the company reports completion of more than 4,000 projects across the United States.
Beyond construction, Korte served on boards for local nonprofits and supported education and recreation projects in his hometown and at his alma mater. Donations included multi‑hundred‑thousand and seven‑figure gifts to fund construction programs and a community recreation facility.
Public accounts of Korte’s life and the company’s early days show small but notable conflicts: his reported age at death varies between 90 and 91, the original saw purchase is listed as both $79 and $179, and recent revenue totals appear as $552 million and $553.3 million in different compilations. These differences reflect multiple aggregated reports and research lines rather than a single unified obituary.
The business built by Korte helped popularize the idea of integrated design‑build delivery and pushed wider use of digital tools and modern construction techniques. That influence shaped how many commercial and institutional projects are planned and delivered in the region and beyond.
He died on August 26 of the reported year; multiple aggregated accounts state that date.
Several reports list his age at death as 91. One account lists him as 90 with a 1934 birth year, creating a discrepancy in public records.
He founded a construction firm in 1958 that grew from small residential work into a nationwide firm known for design‑build projects.
Recent reports place annual revenue in the low $550 million range, with employment around 250 people and more than 4,000 projects completed since 1958.
Design‑build is a project delivery method in which one team handles both the design and construction, intended to improve coordination, reduce delays and increase accountability.
Tilt‑up is a construction method where large concrete wall panels are cast on site and then lifted into place with cranes and braced until secured to the foundation and roof.
Ownership moved to family members and other stakeholders when the founder retired. A son serves as executive chairman.
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Founding year | 1958 |
| Founder | Ralph Korte |
| Headquarters | St. Louis area; original roots in Highland, Illinois |
| Recent annual revenue | $552 million — $553.3 million (reported variances) |
| Employees | About 250 |
| National rank | Listed among the larger national contractors |
| Services | Architectural design, construction management, general contracting, historic restoration, interior design, surveying |
| Projects completed | More than 4,000 since 1958 |
| Notable methods | Design‑build, tilt‑up construction, BIM and early computer estimating |
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